I had the fabulous experience of being part of a yoga community yesterday that participated together in 108 sun salutations. I doubt I have ever done more than 12 in one day before, so the idea of doing 108 was a bit overwhelming at first. But as I listened to the wonderful spiritual leaders as we embarked on this quest, I released the struggle and was able to embrace the exercise.
We did the 108 sun salutations in 4 sets of 27 - my favorite number. In the first set, we were directed to focus on "what breaks our hearts" - as Andrew Harvey had just spoken about. He suggested that contemplating what breaks our hearts will provide insight on our purpose in life, and I appreciate his perspective on this. What came to me - as I moved into a meditative state while staying in continuous motion - is the notion that so many people live mediocre lives and don't realize they have a choice for more. Those people that do everything they were taught to do, followed all the "rules" and created the life they thought they wanted - only to realize that something's missing. It breaks my heart to see people who've stopped dreaming - especially parents - because they're teaching their kids by example to stop dreaming as well.
Moving on to the next 27 sun salutations, we were instructed to focus on one person each round. As I moved through my family and friends, employees and peers, I felt an overwhelming amount of love and appreciation for all of those in my life. I wanted to keep going as I thought of more and more people to praise with my movements, but alas, we were asked to move on.
In the third round of 27, the spiritual leaders brought us back to ourselves. To acknowledge and love ourselves so that we may be better people and build a better world in response. Then the final round took us through appreciation for 27 different parts of our bodies. It was incredible!
And then we danced, and the energy in the evening air was palpable! I could feel it reverberating in the space we were in, and for a moment before I left, I soaked it all in - bathing my soul and spirit in the energy that was shared in that sacred space.
I look forward to doing it again someday, and sharing the experience with someone else.
Namaste. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Find the Fun!
I was walking today to get some exercise and clear my head. Just moments before that I was crying and feeling quite down. The change of pace, scenery, and the fact that I was doing something good for me quieted my mind and nourished my soul. I felt much better.
I thought about the 'Yoga Play' class I taught just yesterday. It's a class geared toward kids, and there were a couple girls in the class, along with one of the moms. They were 13 and 12, and I envied them a bit, because I wished I had yoga at their age. I certainly think it would have helped - as those were my depressed days.
So you're probably wondering, where's the fun in this? Well, I asked the girls what was fun for them. For one it was running - for the other, rock climbing. When I got to the Mom, she came up with "quiet time". While I agree and think that quiet time can be quite fun, I wondered why, as adults, we forget about fun. And that's part of the reason I asked them in the first place - because if you know what's fun for you, and can find a way to do it every day - then life will be more enjoyable.
We tend to be so busy with so many things in life that I think we often forget about the fun, and I think many adults are tolerating life instead of enjoying it.
It's sad to think about, and yet there's a pretty easy solution in my opinion. Have fun. Find the fun. I can find the fun in just about anything, and when I do, it makes me smile and increases my energy. It makes me feel so good! I had a realization around this the other day as I whined my way through doing the dishes.
It's not one of my favorite "chores" - and I really did not want to do the dishes at that moment. Yet I realized that what I wanted even less was to come downstairs in the morning to a sink full of dirty dishes. So I did them. Reluctantly, whining, and complaining about it the whole time. It was almost like I was torturing myself. And then I just started laughing. I thought it was pretty funny that I was whining so much - because I ask my kids so often to repeat things to me without whining.
Anyway, as I was laughing, I realized that the task became almost fun, and that if I just put some music on and started dancing while doing the dishes, that it would be enjoyable.
So that's my message to you. Find the fun. In all you do - find the fun. It really makes a difference and will help make the journey in life more enjoyable.
Smiles and hugs!
Cybil
I thought about the 'Yoga Play' class I taught just yesterday. It's a class geared toward kids, and there were a couple girls in the class, along with one of the moms. They were 13 and 12, and I envied them a bit, because I wished I had yoga at their age. I certainly think it would have helped - as those were my depressed days.
So you're probably wondering, where's the fun in this? Well, I asked the girls what was fun for them. For one it was running - for the other, rock climbing. When I got to the Mom, she came up with "quiet time". While I agree and think that quiet time can be quite fun, I wondered why, as adults, we forget about fun. And that's part of the reason I asked them in the first place - because if you know what's fun for you, and can find a way to do it every day - then life will be more enjoyable.
We tend to be so busy with so many things in life that I think we often forget about the fun, and I think many adults are tolerating life instead of enjoying it.
It's sad to think about, and yet there's a pretty easy solution in my opinion. Have fun. Find the fun. I can find the fun in just about anything, and when I do, it makes me smile and increases my energy. It makes me feel so good! I had a realization around this the other day as I whined my way through doing the dishes.
It's not one of my favorite "chores" - and I really did not want to do the dishes at that moment. Yet I realized that what I wanted even less was to come downstairs in the morning to a sink full of dirty dishes. So I did them. Reluctantly, whining, and complaining about it the whole time. It was almost like I was torturing myself. And then I just started laughing. I thought it was pretty funny that I was whining so much - because I ask my kids so often to repeat things to me without whining.
Anyway, as I was laughing, I realized that the task became almost fun, and that if I just put some music on and started dancing while doing the dishes, that it would be enjoyable.
So that's my message to you. Find the fun. In all you do - find the fun. It really makes a difference and will help make the journey in life more enjoyable.
Smiles and hugs!
Cybil
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
I'm not "Big Boned" anymore!
I had a startling realization one day as I was exercising. I realized that all my life I was told and I told others that I was "big boned". At that moment, as I was swimming in a pool in Arizona - where it was probably over 90 degrees at 6 in the morning - I realized how believing that I was "big boned" was limiting me. It was keeping me overweight, and allowing me to give myself approval to stay overweight.
Now, if you know me, you might not think I'm overweight. I attribute that to the other saying I would tell myself - "I carry my weight well". =) And I do. But for the past several years, I have not been happy with my weight or my body. I hide my thighs and was even on a quest this past summer to find LONG board shorts to keep them covered up! We had a family reunion and were going to be at a lake, and I was not going to bare my thighs for the whole family to see!
But the reunion had passed, and I was swimming - in my long board shorts - in one of the pools at the resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, where we were staying. Sean and I were there to assist Jack Canfield at his "Breakthrough to Success" weeklong seminar. The day before, Jack spent some time talking about limiting beliefs, and several participants were sharing limiting beliefs that they had been holding on to. Many of the beliefs that came up I had heard before; "Money doesn't grow on trees", "Act your age", "Nothing I do is good enough", etc.
But it had never occured to me that saying and thinking I was "big boned" was a limiting belief. Yet as I swam, it became so clear to me that being "big boned" was a belief I learned. I realized that this belief limited me by giving me an excuse to stay overweight, and kept me from trying to be the weight that I wanted to be. I thought exercise was futile - it would never help me because it couldn't change my "big boned" body. Regardless, I did still attempt to exercise every now and then.
So as I made this realization and decided to change my belief, I felt a huge shift within myself. I decided that I would believe my bones were strong and healthy. I also decided I would turnaround this idea of being "big boned" with the affirmation that "I have strong and healthy bones and a strong and healthy body". And I do.
I have even lost several pounds since that day, and I continue to affirm that I have strong and healthy bones and a strong and healthy body. When I look at myself in the mirror, I don't have the thought of being "big boned" anymore, and I know I can achieve my ideal weight by continuing to exercise and eat healthy. I will keep you posted on how it goes!
Now, if you know me, you might not think I'm overweight. I attribute that to the other saying I would tell myself - "I carry my weight well". =) And I do. But for the past several years, I have not been happy with my weight or my body. I hide my thighs and was even on a quest this past summer to find LONG board shorts to keep them covered up! We had a family reunion and were going to be at a lake, and I was not going to bare my thighs for the whole family to see!
But the reunion had passed, and I was swimming - in my long board shorts - in one of the pools at the resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, where we were staying. Sean and I were there to assist Jack Canfield at his "Breakthrough to Success" weeklong seminar. The day before, Jack spent some time talking about limiting beliefs, and several participants were sharing limiting beliefs that they had been holding on to. Many of the beliefs that came up I had heard before; "Money doesn't grow on trees", "Act your age", "Nothing I do is good enough", etc.
But it had never occured to me that saying and thinking I was "big boned" was a limiting belief. Yet as I swam, it became so clear to me that being "big boned" was a belief I learned. I realized that this belief limited me by giving me an excuse to stay overweight, and kept me from trying to be the weight that I wanted to be. I thought exercise was futile - it would never help me because it couldn't change my "big boned" body. Regardless, I did still attempt to exercise every now and then.
So as I made this realization and decided to change my belief, I felt a huge shift within myself. I decided that I would believe my bones were strong and healthy. I also decided I would turnaround this idea of being "big boned" with the affirmation that "I have strong and healthy bones and a strong and healthy body". And I do.
I have even lost several pounds since that day, and I continue to affirm that I have strong and healthy bones and a strong and healthy body. When I look at myself in the mirror, I don't have the thought of being "big boned" anymore, and I know I can achieve my ideal weight by continuing to exercise and eat healthy. I will keep you posted on how it goes!
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